


All I Want For Christmas Is You

by Lacrow



Category: SPY x FAMILY (Manga)
Genre: Anya too pure for this world, Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Loid has a car, Slice of Life, secret santa gift, work sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28186029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacrow/pseuds/Lacrow
Summary: During the holidays, it can sometimes become difficult to focus on the things that truly matter. When such is the case, all it takes is a little reminder to put it all back in perspective.
Relationships: Loid Forger | Twilight/Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess
Comments: 7
Kudos: 60
Collections: SxF Gift Exchange 2020





	All I Want For Christmas Is You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [asle-castle](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=asle-castle).



> You wanted tooth-ache inducing fluff??? You got it! Merry Christmas, asle! XD

Things always seemed to get crazier during the holidays.

That was true no matter the context, though one would think spy missions would be exempt from seasonal madness. In fact, it was quite the opposite; for as long as Twilight had been in the game, mission workload and ferocity would always see a sharp uptick come December. Maybe it was an administration issue. Maybe the higher-ups at WISE were always eager to get their numbers up before the new year, thus sending all the grunts (including him) to get baptized by fire before being left out in the cold, Christmas snow.

It was all part of being a spy and at this point in his life, Twilight had accepted it.

However, he certainly wished being assigned to a long-term mission like Operation Strix would have spared him at least partially from such a fate. Even in his special case, there was seemingly no rest for the wicked. Missions after mission after mission after mission, it never seemed to end. His work as a psychiatrist was no different; the holidays were always a time of great stress for people, and thus the amount of patients that came through his cover clinic swelled as well. Two jobs, both in full overtime. Not to mention the fact that he still had a family to take care of.

Fake or not, he felt bad for his wife and daughter. The most he'd seen of them lately was before bed and, if he was lucky enough, right before work and school. Take-out food had become the norm for dinner, and Yor had picked up most of the slack in rearing Anya. Walking their daughter to the bus stop, making sure she did her homework, tucking her into bed when he wasn't there to do so; Yor did it all. Never once did she complain. The most Loid could see from her were soft stares aimed in his direction, the sight of which made him shudder with guilt.

He knew this wasn't the ideal situation, but what could he do?

As far as Yor knew, he was working overtime at the clinic due to the seasonal influx of new patients. He had no doubts that she believed that wholly, but that still didn't change the fact that _he_ knew better. With each passing day, it became just a little bit harder to keep the charade up. Twilight executed it flawlessly, of course, yet there was a burning in his ears every time he uttered another lie. The feeling of red eyes on him served as a sobering reminder that at the end of the day, Operation Strix was what was truly important; the _Forger family_ was his most important mission.

One which he neglected. Twilight was suddenly brought to that realization one day as he made the long trek up the stairwell of his apartment. He'd donned a lab coat as part of his cover job and didn't have the strength to take it off (although he'd _actually_ taken it off one of the scientists whose laboratory he blew up as part of a mission). Briefcase in hand, Loid Forger silently trudged down the hallway towards his quaters. His neighbors, the same two catty ladies who always loved to gossip, were parked outside his door as usual.

"Oh, good evening, Mr. Forger!" the taller of the two greeted him politely. He nodded in her direction.

"Evening," he replied curtly back. For once, his exhaustion was plain and clear. There would be no fake pleasantries.

The shorter, more _rotund_ of the ladies spoke up. "We haven't seen you around with your family lately. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, just been a bit busy at the clinic," Loid replied. He motioned to his white coat. "The holidays are always a stressful time for my patients."

"I see," the woman nodded. Loid hoped that to be the end of their conversation, but alas. "Well, just make sure your daughter doesn't become one of them."

He was already in the process of walking past the two in order to open the door, but was stopped on a dime by the old woman. His eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon?"

"All we ever see lately are those poor girls without their husband and father!" the taller woman chided. "Work is fine and all, but the holidays are supposed to be about _family_!"

If there was ever a time where Twilight considered using lethal force on a civilian, it was at that point. Instead, he bit down on his tongue and endured it. "I'll remember that, thank you."

Stupid women. He loathed them with a passion. Without so much as a goodbye, he turned the handle of his unlocked front door and left them behind. The door closed, separating them and keeping him from doing something he might regret later (though probably not). Loid exhaled deeply, and managed to get a breath in before immediately becoming set upon by the family dog. Bond jumped up and put his paws on the man's chest, a gesture that was usually frowned upon for being bad manners but at that moment Loid would take it.

He dropped his briefcase and scratched Bond's soft head. Tail wags were complimented by the sudden stomping of feet, and Loid looked over to find Anya running towards him. The old ladies' voices echoed in his head, _just make sure your daughter doesn't become one of them._ His ears burned once more as the little girl joined Bond in mauling him; Anya threw her arms around her papa's leg and beamed up at him, this being the first time she'd seen him in days. The sight sobered him. Loid ruffled up her hair with his hand.

"Papa! You're home!" Anya shook his leg with all her weight in excitement, though it barely budged.

"Yes, yes, I'm home," Loid shot back. There was a faint annoyance in his voice, though it was drowned out by his smile.

Eventually he got the dog off of him. Bond sat down obediently, tail still wagging, as Loid started to shed his coat and hat. Anya hung on however, and continued to do so even after Loid was finished. At that point he was done standing around, and even Anya clinging to him wouldn't stop him from finally sitting down in a soft chair after a long day at work. He picked up his foot and started walking, and Anya doubled down. She wrapped herself around his leg and held on for dear life as he made his way towards the living room. A giant grin ripped across her face.

She giggled as they approached the couch. Loid didn't find it nearly as entertaining as she did, though the sudden feeling of another pair of eyes caused him to relent all the same. He looked up, already knowing that Yor was standing there in the hallway. His wife beamed at the sight, and even though she held a hand to her mouth in an effort to spare his feelings Loid could tell she was also enjoying it. The man exhaled and kept going, even allowing himself to smile a little at Yor before collapsing in the living room. His back fell against leather, and Anya finally go.

"Let's do that again!" Anya demanded as she sprawled out, back against the floor.

" _No,"_ Loid replied matter-of-factly. That time his smile grew bigger at his daughter's groaning. "Homework."

Loid put his feet up on the coffee table and there came a huff from below him. "But it's going to be winter break soon!"

"All the more reason to take care of it now, so you don't have anything to do over the holidays," Loid reasoned. After that, silence.

Another huff, which was soon followed by the sound of sliding socks as Anya rose to her feet. She grumbled dramatically, though obeyed her papa all the same. Loid let his head roll to the side to watch her return to her spot at the dining room table where already there was pencil and paper, and in doing so his whole body crunched. Loid winced; it sounded far worse than it felt. He let out a sigh and tried to gather himself before eventually having to get up and get started on dinner. Yor could cook, but...he'd rather her not.

"Welcome home, Loid." Speaking of, his wife entered the living room. She sat down where he usually did, the loveseat at the head of the table.

"Thanks," he breathed. Yor smiled at him again and he could feel his exhaustion abate, if only slightly. "How was your day?"

"Good! Anya was just telling me that all the kids in her class wrote letters to Santa Claus today," she giggled.

Ah, right. Christmas. Santa Claus. Presents. All things he never cared about, though now that he was Mr. Forger they suddenly seemed like a priority. Loid nodded absently, stuck between thinking about how he was behind on buying presents and the fact he was too tired to really even give a damn. Anya, ever on a mission to keep him on his toes, took the opportunity to appear out of nowhere. For once she caught him completely by surprise, and he jumped a little in his chair as she appeared before him with a nicely sealed envelope in her hands.

"I'm not good at writing," she admitted. Faintly Loid agreed; her penmanship was atrocious. "So I was waiting for you to write the address, papa!"

"Address to where, specifically?" The answer was obvious, though nothing was obvious to Loid at the moment. He was barely lucid.

Anya threw her hands up in the air and Yor giggled at the display. "The North Pole, of course! Santa's house! _His workshop?_ "

"Right...silly me," Loid responded tiredly. He shook his head as Anya handed him the envelope.

The little girl thanked her papa before fisting the air in excitement. Bond jumped in place behind her, and the two of them scurried around the coffee table to return to doing homework like papa had asked. Loid picked up the letter and examined it; half the flap hung open, likely because, knowing his daughter, she thought it was gross to lick the whole thing. He looked over at Yor.

As if reading his mind, she leaned over and grabbed it from him. She whispered, "I'll hang onto this for now."

Loid nodded. Yor smiled. They sat in silence for a moment before the latter got up to go fiddle with the laundry, leaving the former there to compose himself briefly before also rising from his seat. His stomach growled, and he was sure everyone else's did, too. Dinner would be nothing fancy, just some spaghetti and meatballs. He went into the kitchen, and soon the Forgers were all at work on their individual tasks.

The remainder of the night went quickly. Dinner was cooked, Anya managed to knock out her fractions, and Yor finished folding everyone's clothes. Bond's sole duty was to make sure no one came busting in through the front door as the family sat down for spaghetti, and he did his job admirably. His reward came in the form of an "accidentally" dropped meatball at Mr. Forger's feet, one which went unnoticed by no one. Mrs. Forger kept a flat look to herself, while Anya gave her papa the smuggest of faces. He, in turn, pretended to not see any of it.

Food was ate, dishes were cleaned, the night set upon them, and it soon came time for Anya to take a bath. She ran in like a bat out of hell, eager to wash the day off of her though ended up forgetting to bring her clothes in. Yor took care of that part while Loid stood in the kitchen. Absently he ran through all the missions he still needed to get done, their estimated completion time, how long it would take him to get from Point A to Point B, etc. His mind reeled just thinking about it all. Any more time spent focusing on it and he'd surely need a psychiatrist himself.

Footsteps. The clacking of heels. His wife; her sudden presence snapped him to reality. She rounded the corner with the envelope in her hand. "I think it's safe now."

Loid nodded. He took it from her and retrieved a letter opener from the drawer. "Y'know, Christmas wasn't a thing for me growing up, what with no parents."

"Me neither," Yor admitted. She smiled somberly at him. "I'm just thankful Anya can grow up in a world where Santa Claus is real, and war isn't."

Loid paused. His wife's words sank in, and as they did he looked over at her and let himself smile, too. "Can't argue with that."

They were silent for a moment. Then, getting the show on the road, Loid opened up the envelope. He retrieved a neatly folded lined-paper with words written in different colors of crayon. Again, Anya's penmanship was atrocious, so it took him a minute to decipher what exactly it was she wrote. However, when he finally did, Loid's brows furrowed. His lips parted. Words failed him.

_Dear Santa,_

_I don't want any toys for Christmas. Mama and Papa always give me what I want, and I don't need anything else. All I really want is for Papa to get off work early for a change. He's always so busy and I don't ever get to see him. I know that people depend on him, which is why I'm not mad. I know he's really important, it's just that he's my Papa and he's important to me, too. I love him, and I want to spend time with him. If you could, please make that happen._

_Sincerely, Anya Forger._

Yor waited patiently as he read quietly to himself. She, like him, expected the letter to be a list of all the things Anya wanted for Christmas; Yor waited for him to sigh and shake his head at all the toys he didn't recognize, but when that didn't happen she tilted her head. His face wasn't one she was expecting, though when he finally finished reading and passed her the letter it all became clear. Yor read over it quickly, and when she was finished a somber smile eked across her lips. She looked over at her husband and found him frowning. For once, he didn't try to hide it.

"She misses you," Yor revealed. "For the past couple weeks, that's the first thing out of her mouth when she walks through the door. _'Is papa home yet?_ '"

Loid's head hung a little lower. He rubbed his face. "I know. I just-...work is always so hectic around the holidays, and I can't just not go to it. People rely on me."

"I know that, and so does Anya," Yor eased. Loid glanced up at her and she made sure to smile wider. "She doesn't just love you, she looks up to you, too. You're her hero."

At that moment, Loid looked away. All of a sudden he couldn't bare to face his wife anymore. He knew Yor was watching him and, though she was being nothing but supportive, he couldn't help but to feel guilty about everything. Loid was just thankful for the fact that Anya wasn't in the room either, lest there was one more person whose gaze he'd have to suffer under. Her face filled his thoughts, and Loid slunk lower into himself. He thought back to earlier when she'd ridden on his leg, and part of him wished he could go back in time and give her another ride like she'd asked.

"Maybe..." he started to muse, eyes focused in contemplation, "...I can swing this Friday. I've got a shortened schedule, and I can probably get someone to cover half of it."

His eyes rose to meet his wife's, and she gave him a look of equal parts approval and disapproval. "If you can that'd be great, but please don't get into trouble."

"It'll be no trouble," Loid waved off her concern. "I'll do what I can before leaving, and I'll just ask Fiona to take care of whatever I can't get to. She'll do it."

The slightest twinge came to Yor's eye at the mention of Loid's co-worker, but if he noticed it he said nothing. "Well, if you're sure about this, Loid."

"I am." His answer was more affirmation to himself than to assuage his wife, though he offered her a comforting smile all the same.

She nodded in acceptance of his plan and offered her assistance with anything should he need it. He thanked her, though before he could say anything else the sound of the heavy footsteps filled the apartment. Both Loid and Yor looked out across the kitchen window just in time to catch Anya bounding in from the bathroom in her PJ's. Bond followed in close on her heels, and Anya laughed hysterically as the two of them lunged for the couch. In an instant, any warm feelings were lost on Loid as he stared at his daughter's antics flatly.

Mrs. Forger, however, could only giggle. She absently went to rub her husband's arm before leaving him to keep Anya from destroying the apartment, and the gesture made him relent. Loid shook his head as the rest of the Forgers all gathered in the living room, and he watched them all for a time in silence. Bond boofed, Yor smiled, and Anya grinned. Were it another time and place, he'd have called them the perfect family. A happy wife and daughter, not to mention a loyal companion. At the end of the day though, they were just a mission. Nothing more.

Even so, Loid found himself smirking at the sight.

Eventually, he dropped what he was doing and went to go join them.

* * *

For the first time, Anya wouldn't be taking the bus to get back home.

She blinked in surprise as Becky and her walked down the steps on their way to the roundabout where the buses were parked and waiting. Anya stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of a familiar figure leaning against an unfamiliar vehicle; it was papa, and beneath him puttered a small red car. The sight caught her off-guard, though it only had partly to do with the car. Mostly, it was more the fact that her papa was more unkempt than usual. His hair was down, and instead of his usual beige suit he simply wore jeans and a yellow shirt, complimented by a blue jacket that was only a couple shades darker than his eyes. He caught sight of her immediately and waved her over, and at that point the window rolled down to reveal mama in the passenger seat.

A red coat, a white scarf, hair down as well, mama looked warm and inviting. She beamed in Anya's direction and joined in waving her over, and it took Anya a second to reciprocate the gesture. She was more confused than anything else, but still her heart soared at the sight of her parents. Meanwhile, Becky dropped everything in her hands and swooned beside her. Hearts filled her eyes the moment she realized Anya's papa was around, and if anything she was the first one to make her way over towards him. Anya followed right on her heels.

"Mr. Forger~!" Becky gushed, skipping towards the man. "What are you doing here at school? Did something happen?"

"Hello, Becky," Loid smiled at her. The girl died. "We're just here to pick up Anya for a change, nothing serious."

As Becky convulsed, Anya came up beside her. "Papa! Mama! Did you two buy a car for Christmas!?"

Loid shook his head as Yor answered. "No, your papa borrowed it from a friend for the day."

 _Spy friend,_ Anya gleaned immediately from the top of her papa's head. His thoughts were always scrambled around, so it was hard figuring out what was going on in his head at any given time, but she could gather that much. Why specifically he chose to borrow said car was lost on her, though two things stopped her from outright asking him. The first reason was that Becky was too busy being, well, _Becky_ ; the moment the little girl regained her senses, she was on papa like lights on a Christmas tree. Talking up a storm, tugging on his pant leg, and just outright being annoying.

The second reason was that, ultimately, she really didn't care about the why.

All that mattered was that he and mama were there. A big smile spread across her face as she watched papa try to worm his way out of her friend's clutches, and she sighed in content before climbing into the backseat. Mama welcomed her, and together the two of them giggled as Loid slowly but surely made his way around the car and into the driver's seat. Distraught, Becky waved goodbye to him and, to a lesser extent, Anya. The latter poked her head out the window and waved back as they drove off. Then, once they hit the road, she retreated back into the warmth.

"How come you're not at work?" Anya asked the question more at her papa, though it also applied to mama as well.

"I got someone to cover for me today," Loid explained, not wanting to throw around the name _Fiona_ again; he knew better.

Yor turned around in her seat and smiled at her daughter. "And I...might have been a little irresponsible today and called in to work."

"But why?" Anya blinked. She wasn't complaining, just curious. "I thought you were real busy lately with all your mis-...I mean, _patients?"_

"Well," Loid looked at her through the rear-view mirror. She stared back. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to take you and mama out shopping for a change."

Their exchange was brief. Loid had to focus on the road, but before he pulled away he could faintly see his daughter's eyes light up. A smirk tugged on the side of his face where Anya couldn't see it, and he simply left it at that. The sound of the motor running was soon drowned out by Yor talking to Anya about her day, and together the Forgers enjoyed their car ride to the store.

* * *

Out of all the times mama had taken her to the department store to walk around in, Anya had never quite seen it so hectic before. Little green eyes twisted in fascination as they entered and were immediately bombarded by luxurious Christmas decorations. Lights were hung and strung in every corner and direction, and there was enough tinsel and holly to last a thousand Christmases over. Her mouth hung open as they walked through into the main lobby, and she squeezed her mama's hand tighter with excitement.

It was the prettiest place she'd ever been in, by far.

A tall, decorated tree stood in the middle of the giant building. A brightly lit star glowed at the very top, and every kind of decoration one could think of adorned the branches that hung below it. Their tree at home couldn't hold a candle to it, though Anya still preferred it for the simple fact that it was theirs. Still, the little girl had to ask if she could go up and touch the towering tree. She wanted to see if it was real, even though papa assured her that it was. He also denied her request, stating that security probably wouldn't like it very much if they messed with it.

"It's a big place, we should find the map and figure out where we are first," Loid mused aloud. He threw his head around in search of one.

"That's okay, papa!" Anya shook her head. She tugged on her mama's hand. "Mama's taken me here a bunch of times, we know our way around!"

Loid blinked. He looked to Yor, and his wife smiled. "Well, sometimes when you're busy I bring her here to walk around for a bit. Just to get out of the house."

"Ah, I see." He didn't know that. For someone who prided himself on knowing everything, being oblivious to his family's activities only stung his pride all the more.

Unbeknownst to him, Anya could hear his thoughts loud and clear. She tugged on his leg. "And now that you're here papa, we can go through it together! It's gonna be great!"

It would have killed Loid to know just how obvious his one-eighty was to his daughter. Of course mama was none the wiser, but Anya could tell right away that her papa had cheered up, owing in no small part to his obvious inner monologue. She smiled as he did so internally, and the three of them soon went off to meander around the store.

As papa and mama had explained, this was to be part of her Christmas gift. Santa would handle most of the presents, but they would do their part by letting her pick out one or two things she wanted from the store. The prospect was an enticing one, and Anya accepted that explanation without question. She was none the wiser about her papa's true intentions, or the reality that the mythical fat man known was Santa was merely just a fairy tale. Anya was too busy enjoying herself to think about any of that stuff. All she cared about was that papa was there.

That and, well...the promise of presents, of course.

The department store was their playground, and the crowds that swelled between displays and escalators were barely an obstacle for them. At least, that's how it felt to Anya; papa was a different story entirely. His eye twitched as people knocked into them rudely, and more than once he became separated from Yor and Anya. It got to the point where it became necessary to hold onto them both, lest any one of them be swallowed up by the store and never heard from again. Yor turned into a scarlet mess at the gesture. Anya, meanwhile, glowed ecstatically.

The three of them together made their rounds. There were four floors to the building, and they visited each one thoroughly. The first floor didn't have much on it, save for a couple grown-up stores and a place to eat. There was also a detailed display beneath the Christmas tree of a bunch of animals, four guys, and a lady holding onto a baby. Anya asked her mama and papa about it as they got on the escalator to the second floor, and they both kind of looked at each other before deciding to explain it to her later; matters of theology weren't their strong suit.

Loid stated they were place holders for a petting zoo, and Anya didn't care to question it.

Up on the second floor, they found several different clothing stores. Yor asked Anya if she wanted to look for any cute dresses, and the little girl nodded with a shrug. Anya held onto her papa for dear life as they made their way inside, finding the cramped place even more packed than the walkway outside. Again, Loid could feel the muscles in his temple twitch; he fully expected it to be busy during the holidays, but this was a bit much. Once inside, they couldn't walk side-by-side anymore. Their formation turned into that of a train, with Anya out in front and Loid bringing up the rear.

Yor still held onto their daughter. The yellow scarf that wrapped around Anya's neck made for good reins, and she made sure not to hold too tight and accidentally choke her. Loid meanwhile snaked his fingers into his wife's coat-pocket. It was purely to make sure she and Anya didn't disappear on him, though the logic was lost on Yor when she finally noticed. It wasn't until Anya parked herself at some winter apparel that they finally stopped and Yor looked down. She realized he was tugging on her, and immediately went to hide her face from him. He was oblivious.

That didn't change when they ended up leaving. Yor and Anya's interest faded when they realized nothing in the store looked good, and they left the same way they came in; hands on scarves, fingers in pockets, and blush on mama's face. The trio walked out into the main walkway, past some more stores, and made their way towards the escalators once more.

The third floor had much the same as the one below it. Stores filled with clothes and some specializing in accessories, though what interested Loid ended up being the small food court. Normally he was pretty good about going along with a woman as she searched the racks for clothes and was fully prepared to do so for his wife and daughter, but the siren song of coffee (specifically a cup not made by Yor) called to him. It wasn't until they made the detour to get him a cup that he realized just how tired he actually was; one sip, and his whole body felt heavy.

He said nothing, of course. With caffeine in hand, he followed the girls to whatever stores they wanted...which ended up being all of them. Any place Yor wanted to go, Anya would want to go to as well and vice-versa. Smiles never left their faces, and Loid was content to simply watch as they enjoyed themselves. He was reminded yet again that they had done this several times before without him, and the thought was sobering. He imagined Yor and Anya smiling like that without him in the picture, and his stomach sank a little.

Loid tried not to let it get to him; after all, the day was about Anya, not him.

Together the Forgers visited every store on that floor, and after what felt like hours they finally started to make their way up to the fourth floor. Neither Yor nor Anya had found anything they liked despite scouring everywhere, though they soon realized that was probably for the best. The promised land ended up being at the top of building. The moment green eyes cleared the crest of the escalator, Anya practically leapt across the floor. Lights glowed and angels sang as the biggest toy store she'd ever seen appeared before them.

In all the excitement of having papa with her, she kinda forgot it existed in the first place. Seeing it there in all its glory though, Anya shuddered with unbridled excitement. Yor and Loid looked at each other, already knowing what had gotten their daughter's attention. They were dragged along as she dashed towards the place, the three of them avoiding similar looking families as they shuffled in and out. The Forgers hopped in line to enter and were soon greeted by a multitude of toys that lined the walls and every square inch of free space.

Anya looked back at her papa. He gave a smirk and a sigh. "Go ahead. Mama and I will wait here for you."

She didn't argue. Anya skipped in the air and went for it, leaving her parents there at the entrance. It was for the best; there simply wasn't enough room for the three of them to go in together, and so long as they made sure she didn't leave it was fine for her to be in there by herself. Getting out of the way, Yor and Loid moved over and parked themselves off towards the side. With Anya nowhere in sight, they leaned themselves against the wall and waited for her to pick out the toys she wanted. Loid let his head fall back and sighed tiredly. Yor looked up at him.

"You must be exhausted," she pointed out with concern.

"Me? Never," he stared up at the ceiling before eyeing her from the side.

Yor frowned before she saw him smirk. Then, slowly, her own expression turned. "If you say so."

They stood in silence for a time and simply watched people come and go. It was strangely peaceful and chaotic all at once, the constant shuffle of bodies to the tune of Christmas music being played somewhere else in the building. Yor held her hands in front of her as she watched diligently for Anya to come meet them at the front. Loid, meanwhile, glanced down at his wife and nudged her with his arm.

"Since we're here, I've been meaning to ask," he started, "if there was anything you wanted for Christmas."

Yor blinked. She looked up at Loid and tilted her head. "Me?"

"Yeah. I've been so busy lately I haven't had the time to go shopping, but I'll be sure to put in a good word for Santa Claus."

"Oh, well..." Yor looked away to think for a moment. Loid waited, and she returned a moment later with a smile. "...You already got me what I wanted."

This time it was Loid who blinked. "I did?" He couldn't remember buying anything. "What did I get you, exactly?"

"The same thing that Anya wanted," Yor revealed brightly. Loid's eyes widened.

"I know we're not a real family..." she continued, "...but things haven't been the same since you've been gone all the time. It just doesn't feel like home without you."

Loid balked. He stared down at Yor, unable to comprehend at first if he was truly hearing her right. As the seconds ticked by and her expression didn't falter however, Loid realized that indeed was the case. Yor wasn't lying, he could tell that much, and that just made the guilt he'd tried to bury resurface with a vengeance. The words from days ago returned and echoed in his head even stronger than before; w _ork is fine and all, but the holidays are supposed to be about family._ His was fake, a pretend wife and daughter that up until now he had neglected.

Even so, he was the only thing they wanted during a season of gifts.

His presence was all they had requested from Santa Claus that year.

True, his family was fake, but...suddenly it all felt so real. Perhaps that was just the holiday cheer finally seeping in after a delayed appearance, held off by long hours spent at work. Even if it wasn't though, Loid wasn't callous. He felt a smile melt his face, and the sight only made the blush on his wife's more obvious. There was a pause shared between them, a moment when the crowd around them seemed to instinctively give them their space. Loid broke his stare away just long enough to eye some decorations hung between storefronts. Tinsel...Baubles...Popcorn...

...Mistletoe.

That's what he was looking for. It was a bit off to the side, but it would do. He glanced back down at his wife smirked knowingly. She, in turn, tilted her head in confusion. She went to go ask him what for, but before her lips could even part she suddenly felt his press up against her cheek. Her eyes boggled instantly at the feeling; his cold nose seared into her warm face, and her skin tugged gently at his kiss. Messy blonde hair she rarely got to see out in public dominated her vision, and the moment he pulled away she wished for nothing more than to pull him back in.

She couldn't though. She was too busy staring up at him, mouth agape, as her face turned the shame shade as her red-orange coat.

Loid pointed towards the mistletoe and smiled. Yor could barely look at it; her focus was on him. "Merry Christmas, Yor."

She was silent. As if knowing the deed had been done, the crowd swelled once more to resume its usual chaos. Random strangers bumped into her and Loid, causing the two to step forward. They found themselves occupying the same space, chest-to-chest, as every square inch of department store floor was overtaken by frantic customers. The heat that burned Yor's face only grew more intense, so much so that it ended up warming Loid's, too. His wasn't nearly as flustered, though the shade was still there; holiday red dusted his cheeks as his wife was pinned against him.

Time stopped for a second, just long enough for them to look into each other's eyes. Then, just as quickly, it returned with a vengeance. _"Mama? Papa?"_

Husband and wife uncoupled immediately. They jumped at the sound of their daughter's voice, and immediately turned towards it. Anya stood at the entrance, throwing her head around in search of her parents. Yor and Loid spared each other one last glance before looking away and blushing once more; thankfully, the little girl hadn't seen them together. That _was_ a good thing...right?

"Over here, Anya!" Loid cleared his throat as he called her over. Ana came bounding up towards them.

She had two toys in her hand that were obviously Spy Wars related. Loid would have liked to say he was surprised, though at least they were toys he'd never seen before. He offhandedly asked about them, not really caring all that much but simply content that she was happy to explain. Yor meanwhile took the opportunity to calm herself as the heat was now off her and her husband; she took some deep breaths and painted on a smile that became more genuine as Anya continued on. Eventually she returned mostly to normal, just in time for her daughter to finish.

"Well then, let's get those paid for," Yor finally spoke up. She glanced over at her husband. "I can go take her, if you want."

Loid eyed the sea of people and reluctantly agreed. The fewer of them that went, the better. "Okay. I'll be waiting right here for you."

Yor nodded and grabbed Anya by the hand. The two ladies made their way to go get settled up, and as they walked away the smaller of the two looked back at Loid. Toys tucked underneath her arm, she gave her papa the biggest smile he'd seen out of her in weeks. The sight caught him by surprise. He smiled back, and continued to do so even after Anya turned back around to pay attention to where she was going. Loid watched his wife and daughter disappear around the corner, leaving him there to wait patiently for their return.

His eyes lingered on the spot. The tune of Christmas music continued to play in the background. Lights bordered his vision. He breathed.

At that moment, there was no Twilight or Operation Strix; just Loid Forger as he waited patiently for his family to return.


End file.
